We are living in the 21st century. The most advanced and easiest time in the entire timeline of the Universe but still menstruaration or discussion about it is a taboo.
A subject that is shushed like the name of the VOLDEMORT from the Harry Potter series. It is seen as pollution and impure in the eyes of society. Infact, menstruating women have to bear social stigmas on top of pain and cramps that come with it. They are not allowed to enter the kitchen, touch milk, eat with family members or even go out.
As per spirituality, menstruation of a woman is evidence that she is in sync with the moon cycle of nature that is 28 days. Those days are powerful and can be used to harness the feminine energies of the universe.
But on the other hand, we have a lack of awareness about the menarche (onset of menstruation) and even about the sanitary napkins. As per the Health Ministry Data, only 12% out of India’s 355 million women use sanitary napkins, rest rely on un-sanitized cloths, ashes, and husk sands.
Since other sources are not clean or reliable, they eventually end up suffering from rashes, various types of infections in the vaginal areas, or even cervical cancer. And still in society we are not yet open and ready to discuss menstruation so, they suffer in silence.
28th of May is observed as Menstrual Hygiene Day in the entire world. But we need more than that. We need constant and continuous work in progress on this project to make people aware about it, make sanitary napkins available to every woman in India and most importantly at affordable prices. So, women of Economic Weaker Societies can afford it easily and not have to prioritize food for the family over her vagianl safety and health.
It is time we come up with more campaigns in all over India like “Chuppi todo, Sayani Bano ” run by the Rajasthan Government. Schemes like “Suvidha” and “Ujjawala” Yojna by the Government are really appreciable and bold steps. But until we make the public aware and develop a conscience in them, we won’t ever be fully successful.
Movies like Pad Man brought a significant difference in society. Indeed, it is time for the popular poets, politicians, actors to stand up in public and inspire people to be courageous and sensitive to the subject. And men must be made allies in growing awareness because both women and men constitute the nation.
Lastly, but nonetheless, the media has to change its standpoint on menstruation. They should not show blue gel instead of red blood droplets. It is crazy to be embarrassed of the blood we are born in.
Truth must be told. And women deserve respect for menstruating.
References:
https://byjus.com/free-ias-prep/upsc-notes-pdf/
https://pixabay.com/photos/strip-hygienic-female-menstruation-3655836/
Stay with
Prerna 🙂
